Apparatus for a locking unit of a container spreader

Abstract

An apparatus for a locking unit of a container spreader having at least a pair of telescopic beams comprising a housing, a twistlock head partially inside the housing and partially protruding out from the housing, an elastic impact absorption element and a toothed coupling to transmit the necessary engagement torque to the twistlock head. The locking unit is equipped with a coupling that has been arranged to allow the movement of the twistlock head in all directions on a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis of the twistlock head.

1. An apparatus for a locking unit of a container spreader having at least a pair of telescopic beams comprising a housing, a twistlock head partially inside the housing and partially protruding out from the housing, an elastic impact absorption element and a toothed coupling to transmit the necessary engagement torque to the twistlock head, the twistlock head is an integral unit having at least an engagement part, a shaft and a flange, the flange has an essentially flat shape with a rectangular wedge on an upper surface that is parallel with a lower surface of the flange, the locking unit is equipped with a coupling that has been arranged to be in touch with the upper surface of the flange to allow movement of the twistlock head in all directions on a plane perpendicular to a rotation axis of the twistlock head, and to separate the radial movement of the twistlock head from the toothed coupling. 
   
   
     2. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the flange situated on the upper end of the twistlock head has an essentially flat lower surface extending perpendicularly outwards from the shaft. 
   
   
     3. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the locking unit further comprises a piston arranged to mesh with the toothed coupling at its upper end and adjusted to match with the coupling at its lower end to transmit the torque from the toothed coupling to the twistlock head. 
   
   
     4. An The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the toothing between the toothed coupling and the piston is arranged to allow the axial movement of the piston with respect to the toothed coupling. 
   
   
     5. An The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the elastic impact absorption element is arranged to absorb in the axial direction of the piston effecting forces caused by the axial movement or tilting of the twistlock head. 
   
   
     6. The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein for the rotation of the twistlock head the apparatus comprises an actuator that is arranged to provide the necessary engagement torque to two of the locking units at the same end of the telescopic beam of the spreader, and that the rotation angle of the twistlock head is the same for the locking units. 
   
   
     7. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the locking unit further comprises an elastic ring that is arranged to surround the shaft of the twistlock head and to yield in a horizontal direction when necessary.